School Leaders Implementing Initiatives for Enhancing Teacher Morale and Self-Efficacy in Special Education Programs
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Authors
Zhang, Don
Issue Date
2025-05
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
special education , morale , self-efficacy , implementation , change initiative
Alternative Title
Abstract
In inclusive education, teacher motivation, initiative, skills, and confidence are essential factors that influence effective practice. Special educators who are motivated and possess a strong sense of self-efficacy are better equipped to meet the diverse needs of their students. Conversely, low morale and self-efficacy may produce negative outcomes for both special educators and the students they support. Therefore, it is worthwhile for school leaders to recognize the contributing factors to the challenges of low morale and self-efficacy among special education teachers. Subsequently, principals and department heads may utilize specific strategies to introduce, implement, and sustain change initiatives to solve those challenges. This capstone project examines research on teacher well-being and organizational change to develop an amalgamated framework. The findings reflect a sustained, multi-year initiative over successive stages: communication, feedback, collaborative planning, recruiting, iterating, adapting, celebrating, and problem-solving. If successfully adopted, the recommended framework would help school leaders sustainably promote special education teacher morale and contribute to improved outcomes for staff and students.
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License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess